US726686A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD APR. z8, 1903;

'Nok/26,6816.'

0. D. HoLT.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED FFB.l 12 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l'.

N0 MODEL.

N uns mms nu, Pumofmuo.. WASH ROTARY ENGINE.

AIjP'LIoATIoN FILED PEB. 12, 1903. No MODEL. v Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ihvirnn STATES PATENT', FFICE.

CRAWFORD D. HOLT, OF MURRAY, KENTUCKY.

RoTARi/.ENGINL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters raten@ No.'j726,6se, dated April 2s, 1903. Application led February l2. 1903:. Serial No. 143.120. (No model.)

To all whom it mctyoncen: l

Beit known that I, CRAWFORD D. HOL'r, a citizen of the United States', residingat Murray, in lthe county. of Calloway and State of Kentucky, have invented a newand useful Rotary Engine, of whichr the following Ais a specification. n

This invention relates to certain improve; ments in rotary engines, and has for its prin?l cipal object to `provide anengineof simple and economical construction and in which the steam will be utilized to the full'esttadvantage.

A further object of the invention is to conl struct a rotary engine of the impact type in which the area of the steam ports or channels is gradually increased toward the discharge ends of the ports in such manner as to obtain the full force of the impact and overcome the tendency of the steam to ricochet and issue from the port in the swirling stream caused by the frictional resistance of the walls of the ports to the passage of the current.

A still further object of theinvention is to construct an impact-engine in which the movable member or piston is in the form of a ring disposed outside a cylinder, or that portion of the engine corresponding to the cylinder, and containing the steam-chest, ports, and valve mechanisms. f

A still further object of the invention is to construct an engine comprising but few parts, which may .be readily assembled,'and in which the parts may be as readily detached for purposes of examination or repairs.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an engine of this class with an improved form of governing-valve, whereby the valve may be set by hand to stop the engine, to permit its movement in either direction, and to regulate the quantity of steam used.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter def scribed,illustratedin the'accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outintheappended claims, it beingA understood that 'varions changes in theform', proportions`,size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal sectional elevation of a steamengine constructed inaccordance with the in- Vention. Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional elevation ofthe same on the'line22 of Fig.l. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the engine. Fig. 4 is a. detail` perspective view of the valve re moved.; I

I Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the' several figures of the drawings.

The cylinder or stationary member of the engine comprises a circular body portion 1, having a centrally-disposed circular steamchest 2, to the central portion of which is con` nected one end of a steam-supply pipe 3, extending lhrough a suitable guiding-opening in a bracket or supporting-standard 4. The

cylinder l is provided with a plurality of oppositely-facing ports 5 and 6,-a number of ports of each kind being employed and all extending from the central steam-cl1est 3 to the peripheral line of the cylinder. These ports are arranged on substantially radial lines for a short distance after leaving the steam-chest and thence are continued on curved lines approximately tangential to the peripheral line of the cylinder, and at this discharge-point the area of the ports is slightly increased, so 'as to permit some expansion of the steam before the latter makes contact with the wings or blades of the outer revoluble piston'. AThe body portion of the piston is further provided with exhaust-ports 7, one of which is disposed between each two ports 5 and 6, and the several exhaust'ports are extended to and communicate with an annular channel 8, formed in the front face of the cylinder. A portion .of the main exhaustchannel is formed by an annular ring 9 of semicircular form in cross-section and provided With suitable bolting-iianges, by which it may be secured to the face of the cylinder.

l0 indicates suitable standards having bearf ings at their upper ends forthe' reception of a shaft 1l, the axis Of'Whichis coincident with that of the steam-'pipev 3. Atofne end of the shaft is securedthefcentral'portionof a revoluble piston l2. This piston comprises a circular plate having a peripherally-disposed ange, 13, fitting snugly over the periphery of the cylinder 1 and being held from movement in one direction by the plate and in the opposite direction by a ring 14, fitting slightly over the opposite face of the cylinder 1 and bolted or otherwise secured to said piston.

On the inner face of the iiange or ring 13 are a number of impact-pockets 15, these being substantially V-shaped in form and presenting two angular surfaces, against which the steam is forced as it issues from the steamports 5 and 6, one face or wall of the pockets being utilized for revolving the piston in one direction, while the other angular face is brought into play while the piston is revolving in the opposite direction, and in either case the steam entering the pockets escapes through the eXhaustports 7 after traveling a short distance, so that it is not necessary to carry dead steam around in the piston, and thus retard its rotative movement. The shaft 11 also carries a belt or balancewheel 16 and is further provided With a worm 17, intermeshing with a Worm-wheel 18 on the upper end of a vertically-disposed shaft 19, having suitable. bearings in a standard 20. The lower end of the shaft 20 extends within avertically-disposed guiding-opening formed in a box or casing at the upper end of a shaft 21, and from said box or casing extend a pair of arms 22, to which are pivoted the intermediate portions of weighted governor-arms 23, and the upper ends of said arms 23 are pivoted to lugs 24, projecting from the shaft 19. The construction is such that on rotative movement of the shaft 11 acorresponding movement will be imparted to the shaft 19 and through the latter to the shaft 2l,the two shafts which make up the governor rotating' together, and as the speed increases the Weighted governor-arms 23 are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force in order to raise the lower shaft orspindle 21. The shaft or spindle 21 extends within a valvecasing 25, connected in the steam-supply pipe 3, and is secured to a valve 26, adapted to a suitable valve-seat Within the casing, so that as the speed of the engine increases the valve 26 will be closed or will be moved to a position corresponding to the speed of rotation of the shaft 11.

The central steam-chest 2 is faced to form a seat for a cup or ring shaped valve 30, having a at circular portion provided with a peripheral ring or flange in which are formed steam-ports 3l, and Within the ring or liange are rack-teeth 32, intermeshin g with the teeth of a segment 33, mounted on a rock-shaft 34, which extends out through a stuffing-box 35 in the wall of the steam-chest, the outer end of said shaft being supported in a bearing formed in a bracket 36. The rock-shaft 34 is provided with an operating-lever 37, having the usual latch 37, adapted to lock the segment 38, and in said segment are three notches for receiving the latch, so that the valve may be adjusted and locked either in a central inoperative position or may be '726,ese

moved and locked in position with its ports 31 opposite either set of ports 5 or,6, or additional notches may be employed in order that the size of the ports may be adjusted to increase or decrease the speed of the engine, although, as a rule, this may be accomplished by the governor.

In order to prevent excessive movement of the valve in either direction, the circular Wall of the valve is provided with a slot or notch 40 for the reception of a pin 41, extendingin- Wardly from the Wall of the steam-chest and serving by contact with the end Walls of the slot to limit the movement of the valve in both directions.

When steam or other fluid is forced under pressure through a pipe of uniform diameter, the frictional resistance of the walls of the conduit to the outer surface of the stream tends to cause an uneven flow, the central portion of the steam traveling at a more rapid rate than the outer portions adjacent to the wall, and this tends to a ricochet movement, which impedes the iiow of the fluid on issuing from the mouth of the conduit. The stream is swirling when discharging into the open air and will be immediately expanded and the force of direct impact considerably reduced.

In carrying out the invention the Walls of each of the ports are inclined or tapering, so that the area Will be gradually increased from the inlet to the discharge end, to permit slight expansion of the steam, to reduce the frictional resistance to the stream, and to prevent the ricochet or swirling movement of the current, so that the impact force of the steam will not be lowered.

The exigirle is simple, compact, and may be revolved at an extremely high rate of speed With the expenditure of but small energy, and it may be driven by steam, air, or any other fluid under pressure.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. The combination in a rotary steam-engine, of the stationary body portion having a central steam-chest and provided With inlet and exhaust ports, of a revoluble shaft, a revoluble piston carried by the shaft and comprising a ring having impact-pockets formed in its inner face, said impact-pockets presenting two angular faces against either of which the steam may be forced, and means for controlling the dow of steam through the inletports.

2. The combination in a rotary steam-engine, of a stationary member having a central steam-chest, a steam-port extending from the steam-chest to the periphery of said member, said port being arranged on a substantially tangential line at a point near its discharge end and being of greaterarea at the discharge than at the inlet end, and a revoluble ring forming a piston, said ring being provided with internal pockets for receiving the impact of steam issuing from the ports.

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.radial lines for a short distance from the steam-chest and being thence continued on linessubstantiallytangentialto the peripheral line of the stationary member and at their discharge ends being of slightly-increased area to permit expansion of the steam, and a piston comprising a revoluble ring having internal pockets to receive the impact of the steam issuing from the ports.

4. The combination in an engine, of the stationary member having a central steamchest and provided with two sets of oppositely-facing steam-ports and with exhaustports arranged between the sets of steamports, an exhaust-channel arranged in one face of the stationary member and with Which all of the exhaust-ports communicate, an annular ring bolted to the stationary member and forming a part of the exhaust-channel, and a revoluble piston-ring having internal pockets to receive the impact of steam issuing from the steam-ports.

5. The combination in a rotary engine, of the stationary member having a centrally-disposed circular steam-chest and provided with steam-ports leading from the chest to the` peripheral line of said member, a ported valve-ring arranged within the steam-chest, means for circumferentially adjusting the valve-ring, and a revoluble piston-ring having internal pockets for receiving the impact of the steam issuing from the steam-ports.

6. The combination in a rotary engine, of the stationary member,havinga centrally-disposed circular steam-chest, a plurality of sets of opposing steam-ports leading from the steam-chest to the peripheral line of said stationary member, intermediate exhaust-ports arranged at the periphery of the stationary member at points between the sets of steamports, a circular cup-shaped valve lhaving a ported ring or `flange disposed Within the steam-chest, means for adjusting the valve to place either set of ports in communication with the steam-chest or to close communication between the steam-chest and both sets of ports, and a revoluble ring-piston having intern al pockets for receiving the impact of steam issuing from said ports.

7. The combination-in asteam-engine, of Y the stationary memberlhaving a centrally-disposed steam-chest, a plurality of oppositelydisposed steam-ports leading from the chest to the peripheral line of the piston, intermediate peripherally-disposed exhaust-ports, a ported ring arranged Within the steam-chest and forming a valve, a rack on said ring, a gear-segment intermeshing With said rack, a

rock-shaft carrying the gear-segment, means for supporting and for adjusting said rockshaft, and a revoluble ring-piston having internal pockets for receiving the impact of steam from the ports.

' 8. In a device of the class specified, a stationary member having a central steam-chest, ports leading from the steamchest,'a ported ring disposed within the steam-chest and forming a Valve, an internal rack carried by the valve, a gear-segment intermeshing with said rack, a rock-shaft carrying the gear-segment, a stuinglbox through which said rockshaft extends, a supporting-bracket having a journal or bearing for the rock-shaft, an adj listing-lever secured to said rock-shaft, a locking-latch carried by the lever, and a notched segment for engaging the latch and locking the valve in any position of adjustment.

9. The combination in a steam-engine, of a circular stationary member having acentral steam-chamber and provided with exhaust ports, a Valve disposed Within the steam-chest, means for adjusting the valve, a shaft, a piston comprising a flanged ring secured to the shaft, said ring having internal impact-pockets for receiving the steam from the ports, and a ring extending partly over the front face of the stationary member and secured to said iiange, to thereby hold the ring and stationary member in proper relative positions. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

. CRAWFORD D. HOLT.

Vitnesses:

J. Ross CoLHoUN, JN0. E. PARKER.

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